Crafting is fun for all ages and interests. This blog evolved from researching resources for friends and articles I write as a freelance writer. It is a place to share the information I discovered. Please feel free to leave comments and questions. I am always looking at new projects ideas for family and friends in areas of my own abilities and theirs.
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Thursday, September 26, 2013

I posted about making this afghan, but never got around to posting the finished picture. I made this for my Mom's new house. I liked it enough that I'm working on one in fall colors for my house. I may actually make a Christmas one to use up some Christmas yarn I was given in a swap, too.

This pattern comes from an out of print leaflet I picked up from American School of Needlework, Booklet 14, called Afghan Favorites Grannies and Ripples. I find once I establish the original granny ripple, the pattern is pretty easy to follow.

The fall one I am working on now is helping me use up a stash of fall colors that I have had around way too long. It makes a great stash busting project.

Most of my time I spend making toys. I don't make lots of afghans. Part of my challenge is I love the beauty of the square patterns, but I lack the patience to ensure the squares will fit and to sew them all together. I prefer patterns like this that allow me to crochet in one piece, even if I do have to weave in all the ends when I finish.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

I have been fascinated with the 5" Lots to Love dolls for a while. However, until I learned to work with thread, there was not much hope that I could do much with them. Once I found thread hooks I could use, I knew which projects I wanted to tackle first, The Holiday Itty Bitties by Sheila Leslie. While I have lots of commitments for gifts and charity, I couldn't resist stopping to make a set for my own Thanksgiving decorations. I was sorry to see this was book is out of print. I am sure those who are interested can still find it in the second hand market.

I got the majority of the outfit finished a while back and then just had the snap and the threads to weave in. I was in a finishing mode last weekend and got this one done.

What I found interesting as I moved the dress from my model doll to the display doll is that these dolls aren't just different in features, the body types seem to be just a little different, too. The bloomers and the dress fit just a little differently on the finished doll than they did on the model doll. While no two dolls are ever exactly the same, these two dolls had real differences in shape that I had not expected.

I am looking forward to tackling the Pilgrim boy soon. I hope to have both ready for my Thanksgiving decorations.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

This is the first year I have included baby dolls as part of my donation project. So, it meant getting new patterns and ideas for what to make. One possibility I found as I was exploring was a pattern for a doll's diaper bag. I received Crochet 'N Play Designs Diaper Bag Crochet pattern as a gift.

The pattern includes a diaper bag with pocket(s), a changing pad, wipes, and a bottle. I made mine a little larger, so I could include other items as I made them. I made the purple one with acrylic yarn. I decided to experiment with the second one and used up some cotton yarn I had in my stash. Both worked out well. My favorite accessory was the wipes. I am not sure why, but it just struck me as a really cute idea and they worked up really easily.

I have a couple of other finished projects to post this week, but I am currently working on another 15" doll dress. This one is a little more complicated. It uses Caron Spa yarn, which is new to me. I love how soft it feels, but it constantly slides off the hook. I have a couple of personal projects I hope to get finished along with the charity projects, too.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Monday, September 23, 2013

This was a wonderful and busy summer. I finished some crochet projects, but spent lots of time with family, too. What I didn't do, was blog.

As fall approaches, my annual Christmas donation deadline looms. I looked in the bags I have my finished projects stored in and was relieved to discover I had forgotten how much I finished last winter and spring. I still have a long way to go if I want to get everything I planned ready for that early December deadline.

One of the things I did this year when Mary Maxim had their 40% off coupons was stock up on some of their doll projects. At full price, I have trouble justifying the cost of the kit and shipping. However, when I can get a discount, there many levels of savings. I have trouble getting the sports weight and lighter yarns locally, so even if I'd bought the pattern digitally and avoided paying shipping, I'd still likely have had to had the correct weight of yarn shipped in order to finish the project.

I posted about one of the 18" doll kits I finished a while back. This is the first of the 15" baby doll kits I have been working on. I played a little with the gauge on this, but I suggest you make a swatch before starting. The second kit I just started seems to match the gauge without any adjustments, but it is also a different brand of yarn. I often find myself adjusting hooks depending on the pattern, so I don't suggest my experience is typical.

I did opt out of making the flowers do to time constraints. I also chose to make this a summer dress as I am making several other outfits with longer sleeves. One other note, which those that read things closely will catch, the blanket makes a 12" blanket, which is not large enough to cover the doll. I made one and when I realized the size issue, used it for my other smaller donation baby doll. I extended the pattern to make it large enough to cover the doll. As I said those who read closely will catch this, but I missed it.

You can find the kit at Mary Maxim here. If you'd prefer to buy just the pattern you can find that at Maggie's Crochet here.

I was gifted a doll diaper bag kit from a wishlist on Crochetville, so I will hopefully get pictures of those projects posted soon. I made one for the 15" baby doll and one for the 12" Baby Jenna doll.

If you arrived here looking for free patterns you may be interested in the following blog pages: